​​There is an acute shortage of information on the increasingly important role of aviation in national economies worldwide. The need for reliable data using standardized concepts, definitions and methodologies to measure the economic impact of aviation is increasingly needed by governments, policy makers and ​industry. Recognizing this need, ICAO has initiated a strategic project called the Aviation Satellite Account (ASA).

Aviation Satellite Account - Draft Methodological Framework

METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK

The Aviation Satellite Account (ASA) is expected to be a standard framework for the economic measurement of aviation activity. It will adopt the basic system of concepts, classifications, definitions, tables and aggregates of the System of National Accounts 2008 (SNA 2008). It will also take into account the methodologies and practices adopted by Member States that have a well-developed transport satellite account embedded in their system of national accounts (SNA). The ASA is expected to allow for the harmonization and reconciliation of aviation statistics from a National Accounts perspective.

The ASA methodological framework will establish the boundary of all activities related to the use of aircraft and of related infrastructure such as airports for the movement of passengers and goods that form part of the national system of aviation statistics. The ASA will be adopting the well-established structure of Input-Output (I-O) accounts to measure the impact of aviation’s activities in a country’s economy. The fundamental structure of the ASA will thus rely on the balance existing within an economy between the demand for goods and services generated by consumers of aviation activity and relating it to the supply of such goods and services within the economy. 

The ASA will provide each State an articulated framework adopting which they can measure the following:

NEED FOR AN AVIATION SATELLITE ACCOUNT BY MEMBER STATES

• Increase and improve existing understanding of aviation’s importance relative to overall economic activity in a State.
• Enable States to highlight important inter-dependencies of the civil aviation sector with other sectors to sustain expected growth of economic activities such as tourism (and trades) as an export industry to the national economy.
• Provide an effective instrument to States for designing and implementing policies to facilitate connectivity as well as investments into aviation, thus promoting the full economic and job creation potential offered by this activity.
• Create outreach and awareness among various players involved with aviation of the direct economic importance of this activity and also its role as an economic contributor in all the industries involved in the production of goods and services demanded by aviation.
   

SUMMARY

The ASA is a strategic project for States. ICAO will play a central role with regard to the international harmonization and comparability of economic data related to aviation activities. ICAO fully recognizes that the development of an ASA requires a sound knowledge base consisting of those with the expertise in understanding the macro-economic nature of the work and those who understand the requirements of the aviation businesses. ICAO therefore will be working closely with its Member States National Accounting offices, Transport Ministries of the States, the United Nations Statistics Division and International Agencies through the formation of a global technical expert group. The work of the global expert group will be submitted to the United Nations Statistical Commission initially as a draft and after incorporation of their recommendations for its adoption. ICAO will also conduct seminars, publish technical documents and organize assistance programs to help Member States apply the recommendations of the United Nations Statistical Commission aiming for the recommendations being adopted as a standard to be used by the Governments in devising their national system of aviation statistics and the ASA.